Cessna 172N N73944

Summary

On 16 March 1989 at about 23:30 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N73944, operated by Ostrom, Virginia E., was involved in an accident near Swainsboro, Georgia, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 March 1989 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Swainsboro, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Josh Lewis (NONE)

Coordinates

32.5907, -82.3307

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N73944

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Ostrom, Virginia E.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chamblee → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

ATL89LA107

1 person had minor injuries.

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO LAND AT AN UNLIGHTED AIRSTRIP IN LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS, AND HER SUBSEQUENT, INADVERTENT SELECTIONOF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN BORDERING THE RUNWAY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT THE UNLIGHTED, TURF AIRSTRIP IN DUSK LIGHT CONDITIONS. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN PLOWED DIRT BORDERING THE RWY AND NOSED OVER DURING ROLLOUT. THE PLT HAD NO PREVIOUS FLT EXPERIENCE AT THE AIRSTRIP. EXAMINATION OF AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE AIRSTRIP REVEALED THAT THE DIRT AREA WAS APPROXIMATELY THE SAME LENGTH & WIDTH AS THE RWY, AND LIGHTER IN COLOR THAN THE RWY & SURROUNDING TERRAIN. THE DIRT AREA STOOD OUT IN CONTRAST COMPARED TO THE RWY AND OTHER SURROUNDING TERRAIN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.